Commercial vehicles or trailers having two or more rear axles allow such vehicles to carry greater loads when compared to vehicles and trailers having a single axle. Further, tractive effort and load distribution can be increased in these vehicles.
Hybrid powertrains incorporate a second power source, such as a motor-generator and a battery, that can be used to increase an efficiency of a drivetrain. Currently, few options for hybridized drivetrains for commercial vehicles are available. Because of the unique demands of commercial vehicles, such as the need for a low speed, high torque mode of operation while also having a high speed, low torque mode of operation, many challenges exist in successfully implementing a hybridized drivetrain for use with commercial vehicles. Further, regulations posed by governments increasingly demand fuel efficiency improvements for such vehicles.
It would be advantageous to develop a hybridized drivetrain for commercial vehicles that meets the exacting needs of commercial vehicles while providing fuel efficiency improvements for vehicles incorporating the hybridized drivetrain.